Pieces of Me
by MyImmortal329
Summary: As Sully searches for Michaela and the Dog Soldiers, Michaela fights for her life. When Sully finds her, he knows his life is about to change forever.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.**

**Pieces of Me**

**By, Ashley J.**

**Prologue**

Squinting into the scalding morning sunlight, her sore eyes watered with tears that she thought she'd finished shedding long ago. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried. A day ago? A week ago? She had lost track of the days, and after several knocks in the head, she wasn't certain she had even been kidnapped. Perhaps she was one of them. They no longer chained her up, but when she stood up, all eyes were on her, and if she was bad, she'd get a beating.

Was she one of them? She didn't understand their language, and she hadn't looked into a mirror in so long. All she knew was that her arms and hands were pale white, and they were Indians. Maybe they had rescued her and they were keeping her safe. Either way, she had stopped fighting long ago. She knew that the harder she struggled, the harder they beat her, and the pain that shot through her body at the mere thought of those beatings was enough to make her tremble in fear.

She sat up, feeling the scabs on her legs pull, and she felt fresh blood trickle down them. Wincing in pain, she stood, her feet bruised and seeping puss and blood. When she tried to walk, the man with the patch over his eye watched her from his perch at the highest hill of camp. Now she remembered.

"Sully," she whimpered, as mud from last night's rain flooded her mouth, and she spat it out, retching on her knees. Each morning felt as if it was a nightmare, but she always remembered. One Eye. He wasn't going to let her go. She hoped to God that Sully would find her, but each time she felt him getting closer, a cold blade would be pressed to her neck and a hand would clamp over her mouth. She didn't know where she was anymore, and she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever see home again.

She felt two hands grab onto her arms, yanking her up so forcefully that her neck popped. She could feel the bruises from previous rough handlings throbbing with ache.

"Please," she begged, her face dripping with blood and brown water. She groaned in pain, as she was forcefully shoved to the ground again. She didn't know who had done it. Their faces were blurring together under war paint and scowls. How could people she had once thought to be her friend do such things to her? How could she ever look her Cheyenne friends in the eyes again?

The realization had already hit her that she may never see them again. If Custer had carried out his extermination of the Cheyenne of Colorado Springs, she would return to a town broken by his dirty promises and misled by ignorance.

She crawled on her hands and knees, trying to pick herself back up, but she felt a boot press firmly into her back and push her back in, blackening her clothes in mud and human excrement. She didn't cry out, because she'd learned not to. She couldn't risk angering One Eye anymore. He'd kill her if she tried to escape one too many times. She had to focus on Colleen, on Matthew, On Brian. On Sully. Sully. She wanted to cry out for him. Maybe he'd hear her. Maybe if she prayed harder, he'd feel her.

One Eye came down from his hill—rifle in hand—and he touched one of his comrades, Silver Feather on the arm. He said something to him, and Michaela could make out the Cheyenne word for water. But that was it. When Silver Feather hoisted her to her feet, he put the barrel of a shotgun to her back and barked something at her. She didn't know what it was, but she knew he wanted her to move forward.

So, on she walked on her bare, bloodied feet, and she had no idea where she was going. She feared that one wrong turn and she'd be lying face down with a bullet in her back for her troubles.

Feeling the urge to relieve herself caused Michaela's heart to race. She was no stranger to public humiliation anymore, and when they reached a creek bed, he waved her into the water. Thankful for some modesty, she stepped into the freezing water and submerged herself, letting the water cleanse her wounds as she emptied her bladder and her bowels into the murky water. Tears fell from her eyes, as she felt his eyes on her the entire time.

When he barked orders at her again, she started to get up, but she lost her footing, falling back into the icy waters. He stared at her, his eyes black and unfeeling. But it was nothing compared to looking into One Eye's face and seeing Hell itself.

The current was picking up speed, and Michaela knew that it was a long shot, but if she could distract his attention long enough to escape, she might have a chance. Swallowing the fear that balled up in her throat, she turned to the side, her eyes widening, trying to let a vision of hope fill her face.

"Sully!" she exclaimed. Silver Feather turned quickly, and Michaela grabbed a rock from under the water, tossing it in the opposite direction he was looking. When he heard the thud nearby, he jumped across the creek, and with all of her might, Michaela tore her way down the creek, her hands crackling and bleeding on the sharp rocks and her knees being impaled by the jagged edges. She didn't even try to be quiet, as her breaths came out in ragged gasps.

She could hear his footsteps splashing in the water behind her, and she pulsed herself to her feet, she continued to run, screaming out in pain, as the raw flesh on the bottoms of her feet began to tear open again.

"No!" she cried, as she could hear his struggling breaths behind her. "No! No! No, please!" She tried to hop onto dryer land, but she couldn't get good enough footing. She continued to run, and she glanced over her shoulder once to see him readying his rifle. Her life flashed before her eyes, and when she heard the shot, she could do nothing but keep on running, bullet in her back or not. When she didn't feel the pain, she thanked God and kept running. But what she didn't expect was the loose rock her left foot landed on. Her heart stopped beating for a moment, as she began to fall. When her head hit a jagged rock, she couldn't scream. She couldn't do anything but fall into a black oblivion, and that was the moment she realized what it was like to die.

She was still…lifeless. Sliver Feather knew that it would be a worse hell if she wasn't dead. She'd likely drown and bleed to death at the same time, and if they dragged her bloodied corpse with them, sooner or later, they'd be found. No, she was no longer a liability dead. With a final glance at her motionless body, he turned and went to break the news to One Eye.

But his leader was already there, standing with his rifle in hand. They exchanged words, and One Eye carefully examined the body with his one good eye, and satisfied that she was dead, or close enough to death, he dragged her up on land, leaving her for the wolves.

* * *

Sully collapsed under a large pine tree, his lungs burning from the three-mile climb up the mountainside. Wolf relaxed against him, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

"We're gonna find her, boy. We're gonna find her," he promised. He closed his eyes, sweat burning his eyes, as he squinted into the morning sun. He only hoped to God that Custer would keep his word. He knew Michaela was alive, and not only was she counting on him, but an entire tribe of Cheyenne were counting on him, and so was a family of three children who needed their ma more than anything in the world.

The sound of a mountain lion got his attention, and he sat up, breathing hard. He closed his eyes, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest like that of a wild cat on the chase. He listened hard, and he put his hand on Wolf's soft coat, calming him.

The sound of running water caught his attention. He could feel his temple throbbing with pain, and he moaned, putting his hand to his head. Water. Something told him that if he found water, he would find Michaela.

"Come on, boy," Sully said, straining to stand up, his calf muscles begging for rest, but his heart unwilling to stop for fear that Michaela would disappear from reach again. He couldn't give up. Not when he had come so far.

He held a torn piece of Michaela's dress up to Wolf's nose. He'd found it six miles back, bloodied and soiled with God knows what. "Find," he sputtered, his lungs continuing to burn.

Wolf sniffed around for a moment, before he caught a scent in the forward-facing direction.

"Good boy. Find Michaela, boy. Find!" Wolf shot off ahead, and Sully wasted no time in running off behind him in full pursuit.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry about removing the story earlier. There were complications, but anyway, I hope you enjoy, and feedback would be appreciated! I don't plan on this being super long like "Across the Stars" but you never know what could happen!_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"_Why did you even come here?"_

"_Why?"_

"_Yes, why!"_

"_Because…"_

"_Because!"_

"_Because I love you."_

She opened her eyes, gasping for breath, as she lay on the bank of the creek, blood trickling down her face, getting in her eyes, her nose, and her mouth. She coughed, retching up the horrible, coppery liquid.

"Sully," she whispered, blinking, trying to rub the blood from her eyes. As the pain continued to throb on the side of her head, she placed her fingers there, feeling her hair drenched and caked with blood.

She tried to sit up, but the world was spinning around her, and her thoughts were becoming muddled. But as she touched the gash on the side of her head, she remembered that she had to stay awake. She couldn't sleep. She had to check to see if her pupils were dilated. There were no mirrors, and she couldn't move to see a clear reflection in the creek.

Moaning, she closing her eyes, wiping the blood from her eyes and crying out, but knowing that she had to stay quiet. She couldn't remember how she'd gotten there, but if someone or something had done this to her, they were likely to still be nearby, so she had to keep still.

Her eyes scanned the area around her, and she could see nothing but trees and grass for miles. Where was she? This wasn't home. Then her mind thought back to the word she'd uttered when she'd opened her eyes. Sully. What was a Sully…rather…who was Sully?

She closed her eyes again, hearing those declarations of love and seeing, as if looking through a foggy window, the image of a man and a woman on a train, holding one another. The woman ran away. He loved her, but she ran away. Why?

The pain was becoming so unbearable that tears sprung to her eyes, and she gasped for breath, clutching the sides of her head and curling into the fetal position.

"Help," she gasped. "Help!" But her voice was so weak, and each noise or movement she made caused for more pain to shoot through her head.

She coughed, and she groaned in pain, rolling to her back and looking up, seeing the sun filtering through the trees. It felt as if she was staring straight up into heaven, and if she could only close her eyes and drift off to sleep, she might wake up there. No! No, she couldn't fall asleep. She had to stay conscious, but she didn't know if she had the power to do that alone.

Pulling herself into a sitting position, she moved onto all fours and crawled down toward the water. She lost her balance, falling down into the cold water, but she didn't make a sound. She scooped water into her hands, scooping it into her hands to wet her dry throat. Next, she began to rub away the blood that was coming out of the wound on her head, but more blood continued to pour out of it. She began to wonder if she was going to bleed to death.

How on earth could she have gotten from Beacon Hill to this unfamiliar woods? Perhaps she had gone on a picnic, or…? She sighed, not remembering what she'd been doing when she'd arrived in these woods, but something told her she was far away from Boston. Perhaps she wasn't even in Massachusetts anymore. Perhaps something terrible had happened, and she'd blacked out. Well, obviously something terrible had happened, or she wouldn't be left alone in tattered, bloody clothes with a gaping gash on her temple.

After she'd cleaned the wound, she pulled herself out of the water, shivering. It was so cold, and she was growing delirious. She felt her forehead and knew she had a fever. She had to find help, but how?

* * *

"Good boy," Sully said to Wolf, as he crept through the trees and into the abandoned camp. He saw beads and various broken weapons, and he knew the Dog Soldiers had been there. When he stooped down at a doused fire to feel the ashes, he knew they hadn't been gone longer than an hour. "Michaela!" he called out, unable to stop himself, but he knew that if anybody had heard him, Michaela would be in danger. Wolf suddenly perked up, and he barked, pointing his nose in another direction. "Go, boy. Follow!" Wolf jetted off, and Sully rushed after him, stumbling through a maze of pine trees and large, jagged rocks. Wolf stopped for a moment, whining as he spotted a patch of dried blood in the leaves. Sully's stomach dropped, and he bent down, touching it index and middle finger. The blood was dry, but it was fresh, and he could tell by the color. 

The sound of a babbling creek caused him to freeze, and he looked around, surveying the scene before him. Wolf barked again, and Sully watched him nose through leaves and rocks, and he had the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong. It was too quiet. Either they were waiting for an ambush, or what he was about to find was something much more terrifying.

"Michaela!"

Wolf picked up the pace ahead, and Sully did too, but the closer he got to whatever it was that Wolf was onto, the more his stomach knotted up, and his fears escalated to staggering heights.

She heard him calling her name, but who was he? Who knew who she was? If this stranger knew her and was trying to find her, did she want to know him? Did she want him to find her? Fear began to build up in her chest, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Maybe he was the man who had done this for her. Maybe he was coming after her. If he thought she was dead, maybe she stood a chance. God, what could happen that was worse than what she'd already been through?

Lying down in the leaves, she turned onto her stomach, praying to God that she'd make it out of this alive. All she wanted was to go home and see her mother and her father.

She heard rustling footsteps nearby, and she tried to slow her breathing, but she nearly screamed out, when she felt something licking her face and the side of her head. She peered out of the corner of her eyes and saw the wolf standing over her. Her eyes widened in fear, and she couldn't find the voice to scream. This was it. This was how she was going to die.

"Michaela!" There was that voice again. She sat up, backing away from the wolf little by little, until her back hit firmly against a tree.

"It's alright," Michaela said softly to the wolf that sniffed around for traces of her captors. "Don't hurt me. Please…" The next thing she saw was a pair of striking blue eyes staring straight into hers with tears pouring forth from them.

"M…Michaela," he breathed, his breaths coming in shallow gasps, as he gulped in more air.

"Please, stay away!" she cried, shielding her face with her arms. "Don't come any closer! Don't hurt me! Please!" When he knelt down beside her, she screamed and began to struggle, and he didn't know what to do. "No! No! Don't! Please stop! Stop! Don't hurt me!"

"Michaela, I ain't gonna hurt ya!" he assured her, but he was sure his tone sounded far too rough after everything she'd been through.

"Stay away! Just get away!" He reached out for her, which proved to be a bad move, as she began clawing at him with all of her might, her eyes flashing wildly like a cougar.

"Michaela! It's me! It's Sully!"

"Sully…Sully…I…Sully." She shook her head, the pain growing more intense.

"Michaela, the Dog Soldiers! Where are they?"

"The who?" She looked at him, calming a little but keeping her defenses up.

"The Dog Soldiers. Where'd the go?"

"I don't know who they are," she said, shaking her head, and taking in the sight of him. He looked as if he'd been on the move for quite some time, and he looked so relieved to see her. But who was he? How did he know her? Was he the man on the train? Was she the woman? She studied him carefully, but the pain overtook her again, and she felt ill. Turning to the side, she slumped over, vomiting, as the pain caused the nausea. Sully quickly moved to pull her hair out of the way, and she coughed hoarsely.

"It's alright. You're safe now."

"Safe from whom?" she asked. Sully watched her curiously.

"Ya don't remember, do ya?"

"Remember?" She closed her eyes. "I need to get home. Father will take care of me." She looked at the blood on her hands. "He's a doctor, you know? Just like me." She suddenly realized she was pouring her heart out to him, and she didn't even know him, did she?

"Michaela, ya don't remember me at all?"

"Sully…you said your name was Sully. There was a train…"

"A train?" he asked, finding it increasingly harder to follow her. All he wanted was to hold her and protect her and let her know she was safe, but she wasn't letting him close enough, and he was terrified to press her for fear of making things worse.

"She said 'why did you come here?'" Sully's heart stopped for a moment, as he looked into those eyes, and he wanted to repeat word for word what came next, but somehow, he realized that would scare her, and he didn't want that.

"Ya remember that?"

"It was like a dream. I can't explain it. It's all fuzzy…" She closed her eyes. "I need to get to a hospital. I can't go to sleep."

"Alright," he said quietly, wanting badly to ask if they'd hurt her, but he knew she wouldn't have a clue what he was talking about. But judging by the way her clothes looked and the sores on her hands and feet, he knew she'd been hurt, even if it wasn't in the way he'd feared. "I'm here now, Michaela. You can trust me."

"How do you know my name?" she looked into his eyes, feeling more relief each time she looked into them. "Do we know one another?"

"It's a long, long story, but right now, that don't matter. All that matters is getting you to a doctor."

"My father…he lives on Beacon Hill."

"I'm afraid we're a long way from Boston," he said quietly, moving toward her. "Can ya walk?"

"I don't know," she breathed. "My feet hurt, and…"

"It's alright. I'll carry ya."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Sully sighed softly, and he took her hand in his, being careful of the scrapes and bruises.

"Ya might not know it now, but…we're good friends. I don't want ya to worry, alright? You're safe now." Michaela heard truth in those words, but she was still shaking with fright. "I'd never hurt ya, Michaela. And I don't wanna scare ya, but me getting you back safe means life or death for a whole tribe of people." Michaela's eyes widened.

"I don't understand."

"I know. But maybe…maybe ya will." Sully swallowed hard and picked her up in his arms, grateful when she didn't struggle any longer. "Just hold on tight. I think we're pretty close to Soda Springs, and I know they got a good doctor there." Michaela nodded, wondering where Soda Springs was, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, clinging tightly around his neck, as they began to ascent up the hill and toward help.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback so far! Please keep sending it in! I greatly appreciate any comments or criticisms! This is far from being my first fanfiction, but a writer always like to know what her readers think! Thanks so much!_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mid-afternoon arrived faster than Sully had expected, and Michaela was becoming a little more alert, but the pain was still increasing, and he could tell by the way she squeezed him tight with each attack. By two o'clock, he arrived at a larger creek, and he propped her up on the bank, letting her dangle her feet in the water.

"Best get those cuts tended to so they don't get infected." Michaela watched him quietly, as he ripped off pieces of her already torn skirt.

"What are you…"

"Gotta have somethin' to clean it with." She nodded, deciding not to protest, and she watched Wolf sniff around, keeping alert in case Dog Soldiers were tracking them. Sully dipped the cloth in the water, soaking it. He looked at her in her pitiful state. Her outfit was soiled in unmentionable things and soaked in blood. Her face was pale, but one could hardly notice without paying special attention, because blood and dirt and grime covered her features, but those gorgeous eyes sparked through like two pearls in a sea of obsidian. She saw the way he was looking at her, and she looked away, tears welling in her eyes. She leaned her head back, as he began washing up her legs, and she gasped, when one of her cuts opened up and began to bleed again. "Did I hurt ya?"

"No. No, I can do that." She leaned forward, but she became dizzy, and Sully caught her, before she could slump over.

"Not even a bump on the head can make Michaela Quinn stop bein' stubborn can it?" She studied him for a moment. It was like he saw right into her soul, and she wasn't certain that was a good thing. She would have to trust him to get her to safety, but after that, she needed to take care of herself and get home.

"When you asked…about the Dog Soldiers." He froze for a moment before continuing his work on her legs. "Sully?" Her voice wasn't harsh, but it wasn't like the Michaela he knew. He missed her, God did he miss her, but having her safe was the most important thing. After she was safe and settled, perhaps he could try to work with her and help her remember. He hoped this was only temporary, but how could she forget such a huge part of her life? She actually believed she still lived in Boston. She knew who she was, yet she had no idea who he was. She hadn't even asked about the children. Could she not remember little Brian, whose birthday she'd just missed? Could she not remember Colleen, who helped her at the clinic day in and day out? Or Matthew, who was soon to be married?

"Believe it or not, Michaela, you're a friend to the Cheyenne people," he said, afraid of scaring her further, but when he saw no evidence of fear in her eyes, he continued on. "There are some rebel Indians though—the Dog Soldiers—and ya saw somethin' terrible happen, and they took ya. General Custer took the Cheyenne people into Colorado Springs and is buildin' a gallows. If I don't get ya back, he's gonna start hangin' 'em." Michaela's eyes were brimming with tears.

"I can't believe any of this," she whispered, "but something tells me you're telling the truth. What is it?" Sully frowned, starting to wash Michaela's other leg. "Sully?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you know me? Why do I feel like…like I know you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she studied him like one of her medical texts.

"I don't think it's the time to get started on that. Ya need…" She sighed heavily.

"You're just like all of the others. They never tell me anything."

"What others?" Sully asked slowly.

"My mother and father. My sisters. Even though I'm a grown woman, I'm the baby of the family, and they insist that I can't know about the scandals that have gone on in our family. Honestly, I'd rather not know about them, but the fact that they don't want to tell me—"

"Makes ya want to know even more," Sully concluded. Michaela paused.

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"I know a lot about ya. Ya used to know a lot about me too." He lowered his eyes, and he reached up to wipe a trickle of blood from the side of her face. His face was level with hers, and their eyes met for a moment. He could see confusion but the need to understand lying below the surface, so he cleared his throat. "We need to be goin' soon."

"I'm filthy," she said quietly. "I don't even recognize this dress." Sully shook his head.

"Things are a lot different 'round here, Michaela."

"Michaela…why do you call me that?" Sully smiled a little.

"I usually call ya Dr. Mike. I don't…I guess I never really called ya that to your face before." He looked down.

"Mike…my father calls me that."

"Yeah. It's kinda your nickname around town." He looked up at her, knowing that his words weren't registering with her. He shook his head.

"C'mon. We best keep movin'." He washed the dirt and grime off of her face, and she closed her eyes, feeling grateful for his soothing touch, but alarmed at the same time. She hadn't ever experienced such emotions toward a perfect stranger before. She'd never opened up to someone quite like this…not even her mother and father. So how was it so easy to talk to a man she couldn't even remember ever meeting?

"I'm tired, Sully. I need…"

"Ya need to stay awake. I know. I ain't gonna let ya sleep." Michaela nodded, and she allowed Sully to pick her back up. He whistled to Wolf, who quickly obeyed and heeled at Sully's feet. "We'll be there by nightfall."

* * *

"Ma'll be back soon, Brian," Colleen said for the tenth time that day, as Brian brushed down his newly acquired horse Taffy in the barn. Luckily, Hank had come to his senses and had kept his end of the bargain, giving the horse to the boy as he had owed him.

"Ya keep sayin' that, Colleen, but that don't mean anything." He shook his head. "What if Custer decides not to wait? He already told Sully he'd wait 'til he got her back, but I've seen 'em testin' them ropes all day. I don't think he's gonna wait."

"He will," Colleen said sternly. "And if he don't, ya know Ma and Sully. They'll take it all the way to Washington."

"But it won't bring Cloud Dancin' back. Or…"

"Don't think about that right now, Brian," Colleen said, worry creasing her brow, as she paced back and forth in the stables.

"Why not? What if we…" He turned to his older sister.

"What're you thinkin' Brian?" she asked cautiously.

"What if we break 'em out."

"Brian, no!" Colleen exclaimed. "We do that, and they're gonna kill 'em whether or not Sully gets Ma back here. We better just wait it out."

"But he could kill 'em tomorrow! It ain't fair, Colleen! It ain't fair!" With that, he threw down the brush he'd been tending to Taffy with, and he clung to his sister's middle, sobbing softly.

"Don't worry, Brian," she soothed. "It's gonna be alright. You'll see. Sully is gonna bring Dr. Mike back any day now, and…and everything is gonna go back to normal."

* * *

"Michaela? Michaela, you awake?"

"I'm awake," she said groggily, hearing the panic in his voice. "How much further?"

"We should be comin' to a main rode real soon. Hopefully then we'll find somebody who'll be kind enough to give us a ride into town." Michaela nodded slowly. "You feelin' alright?"

"A little better. I could use something for the pain, but I can manage." She closed her eyes.

"Ya always do," he assured her.

"What does that mean?" she wondered, but he shook his head.

"Nothin'. It's…just…I've seen ya tough out some pretty bad pain before. None as bad as this, but you're strong, Michaela…I mean…uh…Dr. Mike." She smiled a little.

"You sound more comfortable calling me Michaela. Call me that, Sully. Please? It seems as if we're going to be…traveling companions for a while, so we might as well be as comfortable as we can be." He stared at her, as they walked, amazed at how calm she was now. Did he have that affect on her? Or were her recent injuries slipping away from her memory just as he had? But as she tightened her hold around his neck, he knew she felt safe with him for the time being, and right now, that was all that mattered. Everything else would have to be dealt with in time.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"_What'd you wish for?"_

"_If I tell, it won't come true."_

"_Well, we're courtin'. You're not supposed to keep secrets."_

"_Is that what you think courting means?"_

"_What do you think it means?"_

"_Well, it's a time when you…talk."_

"_Talk? That's all? I thought it was…courtin' and sparkin'."_

"Michaela, wake up," Sully urged, feeling guilt balling up in the pit of his stomach for letting her doze off. He lay her down, softly patting her cheeks. She began to come to, and he continued to rouse her. "Please, Michaela. Stay with me!"

"Is that what you think courting means?" she mumbled, her eyes fluttering open, as tears poured out. He gently brushed the hair out of her face and delicately examined her head wound. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still a nasty cut, and he hoped the doctor would be able to fix her up and give her something for the pain.

"What?"

"It's a time when you talk," she whispered. Sully's heart froze in his chest for a moment, and he looked down into those mismatched eyes, seeing a spark of memory there.

"Michaela," he said, smiling a little. "You remember?" She started to doze off again, but he patted her face again, keeping her with him. "Michaela, c'mon. Don't do this. Don't sleep. God, I'm so sorry. I shoulda been watchin' ya more carefully." He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to the Spirits or to God or whoever was listening at that particular moment. "Please don't let me lose her. Please…"

"Sully?" He felt a hand grab his, and he opened his eyes, seeing her looking up at him now.

"God, Michaela," he whispered, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. "Ya came back to me."

"I…I had this dream," she whispered. "It's so fuzzy." He scooped her back up into his arms and continued on toward the road. It couldn't be more than a mile up. "It sounded like me and…and you."

"That wasn't a dream," he whispered. "It was your memory." She shook her head.

"I don't even know you. How could I have memories of us, when I've never even met you?" Sully sighed heavily, his heart aching as much as his back, arms, and legs.

"We'll talk about it when you're feelin' better," he whispered. She wanted to protest, but the pain was increasing again, and she didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

"Just talk to me. Keep me…keep me talking." Sully nodded.

"Alright. What do you wanna talk about?"

"Tell me…tell me what you know about me." He looked at her, but he realized this was her way of deciding if she could trust him once and for all.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I…uh…don't know where to begin." Michaela groaned in pain, and she closed her eyes. "Michaela, stay with me."

"I'm with you," she assured him. The…the sun's in my eyes." Sully turned a bit so the sun was hitting his back and not her eyes, and she opened them again.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I…uh…I know ya came from Boston, 'cause I went there."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Ya needed me to send some papers about some liver detoxifying medicine. Cloud Dancin' taught ya."

"Who's he?"

"He's one of the lives you're gonna save."

"Oh," she said incredulously. But she remained silent.

"I…I got to worryin' about ya, so I came after ya. I met your ma, Elizabeth. Your sisters, Rebecca, Marjorie, Maureen, and Claudette." Michaela smiled a little.

"What did they think of you?"

"Well, I'd already met your ma once, so she was kinda used to me. I don't know what your sisters really thought of me, but Rebecca sure was nice."

"Rebecca's wonderful," Michaela said slowly and quietly. "And Father? Did you meet my father?" When she didn't receive a response, she grew frightened. "I don't understand, Sully. I don't understand. This doesn't make sense to me!"

"I know. Shhh…don't get yourself all worked up. It's gonna be alright. We're gonna figure this out, but ya gotta trust me."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"I'll explain everything later, alright? I just want ya to get better. That's what matters the most." Michaela frowned, but she decided to do as he asked for now. So they continued on in silence, both praying that they'd find the road into Soda Springs soon.

* * *

By the time they'd found a road, the sun was setting. He knew that they needed to get into town fast, or else the telegraph office and the clinic would be closed down. He had to get word to town to inform Custer that he had Michaela but they'd be at least a day more in returning, because she needed medical attention. He had already decided not to mention the extent or nature of her injuries for fear that Custer would take the news out on the Cheyenne and kill them anyway.

"Where are we?" Michaela asked in a daze, as the small group turned toward Soda Springs.

"We finally found a road," he said softly. "It's a main road, so I'm sure somebody'll come along and give us a ride." Michaela closed her eyes and rested against his shoulder. "Just don't go to sleep."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she whispered. So they continued on toward town, and all the while, Sully was praying for someone to come along. Sure enough, about ten minutes later, a wagon came rambling up the road, and Sully was relieved to see who was driving the wagon.

"Robert E.!"

"Sully?" Robert E. asked, holding his hand above his eyes to shield out the sun. When he saw who Sully was carrying, he quickly brought the wagon to a stop beside him.

"I gotta get her to Soda Springs fast."

"Put her in the wagon," he said quickly. "I'll take ya two into town. Ought to be there in twenty minutes. Fifteen if I drive fast." Sully nodded and put Michaela in the back of the wagon. Robert E. seemed to be waiting for Sully to get in the front with him.

"Go on. I'm stayin' with her." Robert E. nodded in understanding.

"Yah!" he commanded, slapping the reins and rushing off toward Soda Springs. All the while, Sully cradled Michaela in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder.

"We're gonna be there soon, Michaela. Just stay with me."

"With you," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open a bit. He looked down into her eyes, and he saw tears there. He wished he could soothe them away, but he didn't want to scare her. He wanted to tell her she was safe and kiss her fears away, but she didn't even remember him. He wasn't certain what broke his heart more: the fact that he couldn't tell her how he felt without scaring her or the fact that she couldn't remember who he was.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The wagon pulled into Soda Springs as the day was winding down, and many townsfolk were heading home or having dinner at a little restaurant at the end of town. As soon as Robert E. stopped the wagon, Sully hopped out of the back and pulled a weakening Michaela into his arms. Robert E. glanced over his shoulder.

"I can't leave her, Robert E," Sully explained. "Send a telegram to Custer in my name. Tell him I've got her, and she's bein' checked out by a doctor in Soda Springs. Tell him…tell him I'll have her home tomorrow." Robert E. nodded.

"You think he'll let the Cheyenne go?" Sully thought for a moment, and he took a deep breath.

"Tell 'im I found the Michaela six miles south of Soda Springs. He's more interested in earnin' a name for killin' Dog Soldiers. He'll let 'em go and head out as soon as possible." Robert E. eyed him worriedly.

"You sure about that?"

"I gotta be," Sully said, breathing heavily with anxiety. Robert E. nodded.

"I'll get right on it." He slapped the reins, and the wagon took off across town, while Sully rushed up onto the porch of the small clinic. When he knocked on the door, he was relived to see a kind older gentleman open the door. Before he could even ask what was wrong, Sully barged in with Michaela in his arms.

"Good God," he breathed. "What happened to her?"

"She was kidnapped," Sully murmured, smoothing the hair back out of her eyes, as she blinked in confusion. "She's hurt real bad, and…she can't remember anything that happened. I don't know how bad…how bad they hurt her." He looked away, and the doctor knew what he meant. Sully felt Michaela's cool hand grab his, and he squeezed it. "I'm right here."

"I'm going to need to do a thorough examination," the doctor said quietly. "I'll have my nurse wash her up first and find her a clean dress."

"I got to get her home by tomorrow."

"I'm afraid she won't be going anywhere…"

"Please, doc," he urged, lowering his voice. "General Custer's got a whole tribe of Cheyenne captive in Colorado Springs, and if I don't get her back home, he's gonna kill all of 'em. Not just the men, but the elders, the women, and the children. A lot of innocent people are gonna die." The doctor sighed and finally nodded his head.

"I can give her something if she's in any pain, but you're going to have to take it easy on your ride home. Elsa!" A moment later, a young, redheaded woman came in from the back room.

"Yes, Dr. Stephens?"

"I need you to clean up…"

"Dr. Quinn," Sully said quickly. Dr. Stephens stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head before he turned back to the young woman.

"Please clean up Dr. Quinn. I need to do a thorough examination of her…" He turned to Michaela. "If that's alright with you." Michaela looked up at Sully and finally nodded, tears streaming from her eyes. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"No!" Michaela cried out. "Sully, please stay. I…I don't want to be left alone." She was trembling now, and he felt his heart breaking.

"I'll be right outside the door," he whispered.

"No," she cried.

"It wouldn't be proper, Miss," the doctor said quietly. "Elsa will take good care of you, and she'll see to it that you have a decent dress to wear." Michaela began to sob, and she gripped Sully's hand harder.

"I don't wanna leave ya, Michaela, but it might be better if I waited outside." He didn't want to leave her side, but he felt her grip weakening, and he kissed her knuckles softly. "I swear, Michaela. I'll be right outside that door if ya need anything." Finally, she nodded, but she continued to tremble, her breaths coming in short gasps. Right before Sully showed himself out, he heard Dr. Stephens mutter something to Elsa.

"You know the appropriate measures to take," she said quietly, "I need to check for signs of rape."

* * *

General Custer stared at the piece of paper in his hand, the wheels in his head turning, as he thought about his options. He looked out toward the meadow, seeing the shadows of dozens of redskins leaning on one another, as if they were trying to draw strength from each other. They'd been without food for days, and had been surviving on very little water each morning. It'd be easy to lead them all to the gallows and kill them, pretending that he'd never received the telegram. Maybe the right price could buy the telegraph operator's silence. But then again, six miles south of Soda Springs…why, his men could be there in the matter of a few hours, if they traveled fast enough. 

"What're you gonna do, General?" Horace asked, his eyes wide with curiosity, as he watched the man's yellow mustache twitch back and forth in thought.

"I suppose I've let the filthy redskins soil your town for long enough. Besides, Mr. Sully will have your precious doctor back tomorrow." He clenched the piece of paper in his fist. "Let this be known as the day that General George Armstrong Custer showed mercy to those merciless, enemy-scalping savages. It won't happen again." With that, he stalked off toward his camp, and Horace closed up shop, eager to tell the rest of the town what he'd just heard.

* * *

Sully paced the small porch of the clinic, seeing strangers cast glances in his direction, wondering who this strangely dressed fellow was. 

"Sully?" Sully turned to see Robert E. heading up the street with a crate of supplies in hand. "No word yet?"

"Nope," Sully replied, crossing his arms and stretching his stiff neck. "What's all that?"

"Supplies I thought Dr. Mike might like to use on the way back to Colorado Springs. A brush…some food…some of them good smellin' soaps."

"Ya didn't have to do that, Robert E."

"I wanted to," he replied quietly. "Dr. Mike's a good woman. She didn't deserve any of this." Sully shook his head.

"No she didn't."

"How ya holdin' up?"

"I'm not real sure. I ain't really been thinkin' much about myself," he said a bit harshly. Robert E. understood that his friend had just been through a lot, so he let the harsh comment pass by. "Sorry. I just…I'm worried 'bout her. She don't remember."

"Don't remember what?"

"Anything about Colorado Springs…about us. She remembers bein' a doctor. She thought her pa was still alive." He shook his head. "She's havin' dreams…memories of us, but she don't know what to believe. It's hard to watch her go through it, and I…I ain't sure she's ever gonna be the same Michaela again."

"Ya can't think like that, Sully. Ya gotta believe she's gonna be alright; she's gonna remember."

"It's hard, Robert E.," he admitted. "It's hard thinkin' about everything we've gone through. She don't remember fallin' in love with me. She don't remember the things we said to each other. She don't even remember the bad times. Or the kids…"

"The bad times?" Robert E. asked. Sully closed his eyes, and he looked away.

"I hurt her." Robert E. placed the crate in the wagon and stepped closer to Sully.

"Hurt her how?"

"That woman…Catherine." Robert E. sucked in a breath. "I kissed her…well, she kissed me, and…Brian saw. And when Michaela found out, she…she said she couldn't be with me." He looked back at his friend. "We never really talked about it after that. We stopped courtin' I guess, and that was it. But things were getting better I think. I don't know how she felt, but now knowin' she don't even remember…if I gotta tell her everything…I'm gonna have to hurt her all over again." Robert E. frowned and thought for a moment.

"Ya know…most other men in your situation…they might leave out the bad parts so they don't have to deal with it all over again. But ya know that'd be a lie to do somethin' like that. If ya want to help her, ya gotta tell her everything. Otherwise, she might learn it for herself sometime or…or remember, and she'll know ya didn't tell her everything." Sully nodded.

"I never wanna lie to her. I just…I can't stand to see the hurt in her eyes. She's already been hurt enough."

At that moment, the door opened, and Elsa walked out.

"Dr. Quinn is resting comfortably upstairs, sir, and Dr. Stephens would like to speak with you privately." Sully nodded thankfully and he cast a glance at Robert E.

"I'll be waitin' out here," Robert E. promised. With that, Sully followed Elsa into the clinic and prepared to learn the extent of Michaela's injuries.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thanks for all the feedback so far! Please keep it coming!_


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